Do you use the St. Jude''s address labels?

[Sabine]

And if so, do you make a donation?

I remember the first time I got them, I was in college and had very little spare change. I thought, well, if I don''t make a donation, I shouldn''t use them. But throwing them out felt wrong too. So I made a donation, and I''ve been making them ever since. I guess that''s why they send them out...you feel guilty using them without donating but also guilty throwing them away...

But whenever I get mail and I recognize the address labels, I always wonder if other people donate too!

 

[Haven]

I''ve never gotten any return address labels from St. Jude''s. I get them from a lot of different animal charities, and we always send in a donation when we get them. (Assuming that they are reputable and we like what we read about the charity when we look it up.)

 

[mayachel]

It always seems that whenever I make 1 donation to a national organization, 6 others send me their address labels (and requests for money). After considering exactly your question about donating if I wanted to the use them, I decided that by using them I am helping to advertise the organization. AND I will not be finageled into charity through guilt.

So my advice is to use them if you want to, without the requirement of sending in a financial donation. You are offering them free advertising space on your mail.

ETA: And of course make the donation IF you would otherwise do so upon hearing about the group.

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 1/2/2010 11:51:51 AM
Author: mayachel
It always seems that whenever I make 1 donation to a national organization, 6 others send me their address labels (and requests for money). After considering exactly your question about donating if I wanted to the use them, I decided that by using them I am helping to advertise the organization. AND I will not be finageled into charity through guilt.


So my advice is to use them if you want to, without the requirement of sending in a financial donation. You are offering them free advertising space on your mail.


ETA: And of course make the donation IF you would otherwise do so upon hearing about the group.

Ditto. I might read their literature and consider making a donation, but I do not let the fact that somebody sent me some little "goody" that I never asked for guilt-trip me into making a donation. I also don''t let the ploy stop me from using the address labels.

The truth of the matter is that I''m less likely to donate to a group that sends me do-dads like this because I really don''t want to encourage the use of such an inefficient fundraising ploy. I figure all my donation does is pay for address labels to be sent to a bunch of other people that probably won''t donate anyway. I''ve found that the labels stop coming eventually, and I have other ways to donate to groups that I choose to support.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I don''t ever send money into charities that solicit money through mailings. If an organization sends me address labels and I like the way they look, I''ll use them. When it comes to donating, I *only* donate actual items (such as food bank or children''s toys/clothes for Xmas) and never money because I think a lot of that goes to "adminstration" costs. I read about one non-profit that had 90% of donations covering over-head expenses.

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 1/2/2010 1:42:27 PM
Author: MC
I don't ever send money into charities that solicit money through mailings. If an organization sends me address labels and I like the way they look, I'll use them. When it comes to donating, I *only* donate actual items (such as food bank or children's toys/clothes for Xmas) and never money because I think a lot of that goes to 'adminstration' costs. I read about one non-profit that had 90% of donations covering over-head expenses.

MC -- while I understand about wanting to give only direct aid, I think it's important to realize that even non-profits often incur administrative costs as part of providing assistance to their target groups. Few groups can successfully meet their goals over a long period of time without some professional staff, office/warehouse etc. space, and supplies -- overhead costs are in many cases unavoidable. The trick is to find trusted sources (including your own eyes and ears, especially for locally based groups) that will help you determine which handle administrative costs wisely while providing real service to their target groups. But I also think it's important for donors to screen out groups that spend an inordinate part of their budget on overhead costs, including fundraising.

 

[zoebartlett]

I don''t get the St. Jude''s ones but I do get the American Diabetes labels. If I remember to use them, I do. I love the work St. Jude does, and I''d probably donate if I received something from them.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/2/2010 2:28:09 PM
Author: VRBeauty
MC -- while I understand about wanting to give only direct aid, I think it''s important to realize that even non-profits often incur administrative costs as part of providing assistance to their target groups. Few groups can successfully meet their goals over a long period of time without some professional staff, office/warehouse etc. space, and supplies -- overhead costs are in many cases unavoidable. The trick is to find trusted sources (including your own eyes and ears, especially for locally based groups) that will help you determine which handle administrative costs wisely while providing real service to their target groups. But I also think it''s important for donors to screen out groups that spend an inordinate part of their budget on overhead costs, including fundraising.

VR - Yeah, I know there are unavoidable administrative costs. It just worries me that if I''m donating X amount of dollars in hopes that I''m helping a child out, that that child may not receive enough of what I gave to help him/her, so I guess for me, I want to help with what I can, such as buying food/clothes for those who need things and know all of that will be beneficial to the child.

I''m glad there are charities out there who help those in need and it''s wonderful that each of us can/have found a way to help out.

 

[So Excited]

Don''t donate based on guilt, if you have the money and support the charity then go ahead. If you don''t and need and address label, then stick it on and send out the mail.

 

[marcy]

I used to donate but got tired of getting unsolicited things that ask for a donation. This day with identity theft I usually keep them to use or destroy them (depending on what they look like).

 

[Alistra]

If you are interested in a charity, but concerned about their administrative costs, etc you can see financial information and program costs on this site: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ Some organizations spend a lot on administration and fundraising while others are able to put a much greater percentage of donations to work. Also, it is important to remember that organizations such as food banks area able to get a lot more food per dollar than the average person New York Times

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/3/2010 1:41:37 PM
Author: Alistra
If you are interested in a charity, but concerned about their administrative costs, etc you can see financial information and program costs on this site: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ Some organizations spend a lot on administration and fundraising while others are able to put a much greater percentage of donations to work. Also, it is important to remember that organizations such as food banks area able to get a lot more food per dollar than the average person New York Times

Thanks for the website. I''ll read through for organizations to see which would be of interest to me. My dad died from leukemia so I have thought of being added to the bone marrow donor list. A way to help that doesn''t cost money.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I use the labels if I like them, but don''t send money unless I would have irrespective of the labels.

I work for a large cultural non-profit. While administrative costs are definitely necessary, it can be really ridiculous. I would advise anyone to do due diligence before donating to any charity you can view info on charitynavigator.org as was already suggested, and can view their entire form 990 (atx form) on guidestar.org (joining is free).

 

[Elmorton]

I use the labels.

I donate to St. Jude somewhat regularly and I''m a member of an organization that supports St. Jude as one of our main charities, so even if it''s been awhile since I''ve cut them a check, I have no qualms about using the labels. If anything, I hope that someone will recognize them and it will remind a friend or whomever to donate, too.

 

[orbaya]

Date: 1/2/2010 5:56:33 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
I don''t get the St. Jude''s ones but I do get the American Diabetes labels. If I remember to use them, I do. I love the work St. Jude does, and I''d probably donate if I received something from them.

Just out of curiousity, why would you only donate if you got something from the charity first? If you love what St. Judes does, why not donate anyway? I''m not trying to be snarky, just wondering.